A Lifetime of Change

Book excerpt: A Lifetime of Change is about a series of changes as they relate to one person's lifetime of development, from birth to the autumn of their life. It begins with the change of surroundings from the womb to the outside world to which one is destined to live and carries on through one man's life to the place he now finds himself. Knowing his life is, hopefully, far from finished, he takes a look back to try to answer the question, "What is the biggest change you have seen in your life?" This is a storyline about which anybody could write and all the stories would be different because everybody's life experiences are different. This work is about a man who was born and grew up in rural central Kentucky and is much different than one who may have lived in a large city in some other state. The changes described here deal with basic necessities, family life, transportation, entertainment, medical advances, and the like. These changes and experiences will show how different life was in the 1950s compared to the twenty-first century. Not only were the changes or advances important to individuals but also to the entire world. As you read through these pages, you will likely be tempted to think about how change has impacted your life and to ponder whether it was good or bad for you. Personal stories from the author's experience are shared in a lighthearted manner, in the hope you will be able to place yourself in the situation and consider your possible reaction to each circumstance. The later chapters deal with what the author considers the biggest change in his lifetime and to try to answer the question, "What really are the good old days?"